Golden Eyes
by Animatized
Summary: Love can be a frustrating thing, especially if you have fallen for your rival. Kouga's temper is finally pushed to the limit when Kagome ignores him one too many times for Inuyasha. But the strange thing is... For Lilychan. InuyashaxKouga. CH5 is up!
1. Chapter One :: Blue Eyes

**A/N:** Once again, for all of you that have read my fics (most likely 0.001% of you) you should know that Animatized is a shared user between Kimi-chan and myself. Kimi won't be writing in this story though, so that's that.   
  
I would also like to say that Lily, wherever you are, I've taken on your little fic challenge. ^^ So here ya go. This fic is for you, with the pairing of Inuyasha/Kouga. Hmm... it seems weird just to look at that pairing, and I have to admit, this first chapter was rather difficult to write. Forgive me for the shortness of it! Hopefully, Lily, you'll like it, but remember, you owe me chocolate bars! Hehe. But anyhoo, I'll stop boring the butts off all of you that actually wanted to read this. So... please enjoy and R&R!   
  
  
  
**Golden Eyes**  
Natsue Arishima   
  
**Chapter One**  
  
  
  
I couldn't believe it when she sidestepped me and pushed my arms away, her eyes focused on something behind my left shoulder. Did she even realize I was here at all? Standing directly in front of her? Was I even visible to her?   
  
  
  
For the first time, my usual egotistical mind was blank, and the words wouldn't come. I could feel my cheeks burning as she pushed me aside as if I was nothing. What did I do to deserve such humiliation? The fact that she had chosen that... that _hanyou_ over me... that stupid, idiotic bastard...   
  
  
  
Damn that Inuyasha.   
  
  
  
I could feel my nails digging into my palms as I clenched my fists and turned around, feeling like such an idiot as I could only stand helplessly to the side and watch the two embrace.   
  
  
  
Kagome was crying and yet smiling at the same time. Was she truly happy now? That Inuyasha had survived? That she was in his arms? I couldn't stand it. Why? WHY?   
  
  
  
And the hanyou. What had he done to deserve such happiness? Did he love her too? There he was, holding her close and whispering soothing sounds in her ear. Since when had he become that gentle?   
  
  
  
There was a burning feeling in the middle of my chest, one that I had never felt before. So this was how it felt, to have one's heart torn in two. My vision blurred and I swallowed. The world faded around me. All I could see were the two in front of me, happily in each other's arms.   
  
  
  
I stared angrily at Kagome and a red-hot fury suddenly erupted inside of me. That arrogant little... She had ended it all. She had finished our game. She had chosen Inuyasha.   
  
  
  
It wasn't the fact that she loved someone else that got my blood boiling. No. I had long moved on. But... the fact that _he_ loved her back. That was just something I couldn't stand.   
  
  
  
How long had it been, I suddenly wondered. How long had it been since I had stopped loving her? It seemed like ages ago. Then why had I continued to follow her, like some disgusting pet dog? Why had I constantly waited on her, promising that one day we'd fall in love?   
  
  
  
Because of him, dammit. All because of him.   
  
  
  
My face burned with sudden shame. All that strained effort, just to get him to notice me. Damn him. Damn him to the burning pits of hell.   
  
  
  
As I quietly focused my gaze on his peaceful face, I found that I couldn't look away. What was wrong with me? Of all people, it just had to be him. A guy! And worse, a hanyou!   
  
  
  
I wasn't some fucked up queer. I was Kouga. The all-mighty Kouga.   
  
  
  
So why the hell was I acting this way?   
  
  
  
Was I really such a desperate bastard?   
  
  
  
I had never wanted to kill someone more than that I wanted to right now.   
  
  
  
I wanted to kill him.   
  
  
  
To let him know of the pain he was causing me. To let him suffer.   
  
  
  
To get rid of those golden eyes.   
  
  
  
Kagome suddenly smiled. "Inuyasha... I... I've missed you..." she whispered, burying her face in his robe.   
  
  
  
Inuyasha blinked and then grinned softly back. My world seemed to stop then, with his smile. I had never seen anyone more beautiful. And the fact that he wasn't smiling at me... the fact that he was sharing his smile with her...   
  
  
  
With her...   
  
  
  
My eyes blazed and I took a step forward. A rumbling growl started deep in my throat, menacingly and threateningly. Kagome's tears were stifled and she looked up towards me, cheeks red and eyes swollen. The mere sight of her... I knew I could never hurt her, not even a scratch. She was a friend.   
  
  
  
And yet... my anger ceased to leave me. Sure, the miko incarnate was kind. She had always cared for me, but now... I couldn't stand her. And the thought almost frightened me.   
  
  
  
It was as if I couldn't control my anger anymore. My anger that I never knew I had, never knew I had for her. I could feel my claws elongate and dig deeper into my hands. Blood dripped and slid down my wrists, burning as they went.   
  
  
  
My head felt like it was on fire. Why was everything red? I could feel my pupils dilating. White, sharp fangs were bared as my lip curled back in a snarl. There was a snap and my hair suddenly came lose, cascading down my back and shoulders like a dark waterfall.   
  
  
  
"Inuyasha..." I snarled, and my own voice seemed alien to me. The hanyou took an unconscious step backwards, a protective arm around Kagome, and the other on Tetsusaiga. "Inuyasha..." My head was throbbing again, and my entire body screamed. It was as if white-hot knives were digging into me, on my arms, legs, face, eyes...   
  
  
  
A howl left my lips, echoing around like a wild wolf's shriek. Before I knew what had happened, I had lunged. I couldn't see anymore. There were dark figures all around me. Spitting, hissing, slashing.   
  
  
  
I could barely control myself. There was a flash of red and silver and the bite of nails in my side. I pushed the pain aside like it was nothing and clawed the hand away. Something grabbed my shoulder and I jerked around, digging my teeth deep into live flesh.   
  
  
  
The taste of blood was horrifying and yet it filled my mind with lust. The hanyou cried out and I was flung onto the ground. My arm whipped out, claws flexed.   
  
  
  
Something hissed past my ear and I flipped up, missing it by inches. As it came swerving back, I suddenly realized what it was and snarled in anger. Flipping up, I aimed a deadly kick at the boomerang and it swerved off to the side, its tip buried deep into the ground. I heard a startled gasp and someone yelling out, "Kazaana!" closely followed by another shriek and a girl screaming, "Miroku! He has Shikon shards in his legs!"   
  
  
  
The invisible force that had been pulling me forward lessened, and my eyes blazed as they focused on the human girl. Her mouth opened in a silent gasp as I lunged for her, one hand on the sword clipped to my side. The one that I promised that I would never use. But now... my mind cried out in pain again and I yanked the glinting blade viciously out of its sheath.   
  
  
  
I was so close now... so close. Her bow dropped from her fingers and she stared up at me, fear in her eyes. "K-Kouga-kun..." she whispered as her knees gave way.   
  
  
  
I raised my sword, a wild glint in my movement and eyes. The blade seemed to shimmer in my anger, glowing a fierce, blood red. The sight of it pushed me further into insanity, and my grip tightened on the hilt.   
  
  
  
Something red flashed on my right side and I jumped away just in time. Inuyasha.   
  
  
  
His eyes were blazing with anger too, Tetsusaiga unsheathed and glowing in his hands. "Bastard," he growled, shaking with fury.   
  
  
  
I landed on my feet and stared at him for a long time. Pain as I had never experienced before shot through me. Why was he protecting her? Why? Didn't he realize my feelings? Was he purposely trying to hurt me...?   
  
  
  
My breathing cooled and I suddenly realized what I was doing. What the hell had I been thinking? I could have killed her... I could have killed Kagome... and Inuyasha...   
  
  
  
Dammit!   
  
  
  
The intense burning left my body and my vision cleared. My sword dropped from my hands and I collapsed onto the ground, too weak to stand.   
  
  
  
I could hear voices around me, but I didn't care anymore. Something cool was pressed up to my forehead and my eyes slowly closed. The last thing I head was a grumpy, "Feh," followed by, "Damn wolf."   
  
  
  
He hated me.   
  
  
  
And then my world turned black.   
  
  
  



	2. Chapter Two :: Blue Eyes

**A/N:** I'm ba~ack! I'm finally returned from brain-frying, and Lily, I hate you! WAH! I deserve my chocolate! This chapter was d*** hard to write!   
  
Anyhoo, thanks to all of you who have reviewed! Feel free to give contructive criticism, because how else would I be able to improve my writing? And forgive me if the updates are rather slow -- I'm a lazy, short-attention span sort of person. Hehe. Well, enough about me! Back to Kouga-kun!I just realized, he swears alot... and is a rather naughty person. I just love that guy! Ahem... So start reading and don't forget to review!   
  
  
  
**Golden Eyes**  
Natsue Arishima   
  
**Chapter Two**  
  
  
  
The first thing that I was aware of was the heavy warmth around my body. It was as if I had fallen asleep in an unbearably scorching hot spring. All of my muscles were unresponsive and limp. Deadweight seemed to have settled down on my shoulders and limbs.   
  
  
  
I groggily opened my eyes. Bright sunlight quickly flooded my vision and I hissed, letting my eyelids droop shut immediately. Even so, a reddish haze pressed against my vision. Every inch of my body ached, and I wondered if I had finally died. But death would have felt better, wouldn't it?   
  
  
  
Taking in another breath and attempting to loosen up my chest, I wondered how the hell I had gotten here. My memory had vanished and a damn black hole had taken its place. How could I have been in front of Kagome one second and then wake up on my back, practically cooking from the heat?   
  
  
  
Kagome...   
  
  
  
Shit.   
  
  
  
I jerked up sharply into a sitting position, almost yelping at the pain that lanced through my body. Several layers of scalding hot blankets tumbled off my shoulders, and it was suddenly cold. Looking down, I blinked at the sight of my bare chest before my reaction kicked in. Why the hell was I naked?   
  
  
  
Peeking underneath the covers, I breathed in relief. At least I still had my pants. But my chest armor. And my sword!   
  
  
  
Sword...   
  
  
  
I swallowed, jaws clenched. There was something about the weapon that rang a bell in my memory. Had I... used it? No. I couldn't have... or else... That damned blade. My father had given it to me as a gift, a birthday gift. A present that had almost killed me the first time I had used it, and the one that had labeled me as a coward in the months that followed by all other cubs in my clan.   
  
  
  
I suddenly took notice of the sensation of my unbound hair, resting silkily on my shoulders and down my back. What the hell? I wanted my hair back up again in that friggin' ponytail! I felt like a damn woman... Oh, whoever did this was gonna get it bad...   
  
  
  
I realized that I was on a bed, in the middle of a rather disorganized room. Herbs and bottles littered the shelves and ground, along with several pieces of parchment and a finely carved bow.   
  
  
  
Now I had really gotten confused. Just where was I? And... the pain. What the hell did I do? And once again, why was I partially naked?   
  
  
  
There was a shuffle of footsteps and an old woman stepped over the threshold, a bowl of disgustingly smelling herbs in her hands. My nose twitched uncomfortably. An empty quiver was slung over her shoulder, and she adjusted her eye-patch before nearing the bed. Nearing me.   
  
  
  
I scrambled closer to the wall. "Gah! You stay away from me! And give me back my armor, perverted old hag!"   
  
  
  
The miko paused in mid-step, eyebrows raised and face emotionless. Until... "Perverted old hag, am I? I think not! I, Kaede, willingly took you in and healed you, and now I get accused? Fine, heal yourself then. And mind you, get out of my hut as soon as you're well!" Placing the bowl of mashed herbs down on the foot of the bed, she huffed out.   
  
  
  
I blinked. That had been strange.   
  
  
  
And then it kicked in. I had almost killed Kagome.   
  
  
  
My blue eyes widened and my hands clenched in the blankets. Dammit. Of all the things to have happened... I had transformed.   
  
  
  
Well, almost transformed. Thankfully, I had finally controlled myself again at the last moment. But damn it all! That fucking hanyou. I buried my face in my hands, ebony strands sliding onto my chest. I shouldn't have acted that way! My control was slipping. I couldn't let that happen again.   
  
  
  
But... the fact that... Inuyasha. He loved Kagome. I bit my lip, feeling it tear and start to bleed. Dammit, dammit, dammit! I raised a fist and aimed it at the nearest object, which happened to be the pottery bowl that Kaede or whoever she was had just brought in.   
  
  
  
The bowl cracked and I slumped forward, watching silently and almost with amusement as my knuckles started to bleed, my hand numb but painless. The crimson flowed slowly out of the wound, staining the sheets. My anger didn't fade immediately, but the sight of my blood seemed to mollify me somehow. The boiling fury was replaced by a strange calm and all feelings seemed to leave my body. All except for one.   
  
  
  
Damn that Inuyasha.   
  
  
  
I loved him and yet hated him for making me love him. And I hated him even more when I finally realized that he loved Kagome. But I could never truly hate him. I loved him. And because of that, hated him...   
  
  
  
I howled, my wolf blood pounding in my ears as I fitfully pulled out pieces of my hair. I had gone in a complete circle with my thoughts, and it hadn't helped. Now, not only was I angry again, I was fucking confused. A soft hand was placed on my shoulders and I tensed immediately.   
  
  
  
"Kouga-kun! You're up."   
  
  
  
Kagome. Just the one person in the world that I _didn't_ want to see.   
  
  
  
"Kagome." I wearily lifted my head out of my hands and gazed at her, my eyes glassy. She stared back at me, hazel eyes once again filled with their usual concern, and I knew that I needed to apologize, no matter how hard it may be. Pushing away my already deflating ego, I managed to say, "I'm sorry." I swallowed.   
  
  
  
"For what?" she asked softly, gently taking my bleeding hand and examining it. Her expression darkened and she slowly pulled out small pieces of clay out of my fist, not trying to give me any discomfort. I raised an eyebrow. It would have been nice of her, but in my current state, I couldn't feel pain anyway.   
  
  
  
"For almost killing you." The silence stretched on for a while until my usual personality jumped in before I could stop it. "But no matter! Once we get married, that damn hanyou'll never interfere again!" I re-arranged my grip so that her hand was in mine. Dammit. Why was I still acting this way? Inuyasha didn't care. But the arguments between the two of us had become so frequent that I had gotten used to them. They had become a part of my everyday routine.   
  
  
  
Kagome blushed, averting her gaze. "Kouga-kun... You know that I... Inuyasha... we..."   
  
  
  
Slowly, I loosened my grip. My eyes drifted onto my hands, and my mind was blank, still horrified at the fact that I had almost transformed. "I know," I mumbled, suddenly serious. I could tell that Kagome was surprised at my attitude. She had only seen me serious on the battlefield, or perhaps after a strained conversation with Ayame.   
  
  
  
The bed shifted and I knew that she had stood up. Seconds dragged into minutes, and I thought she had left the room. Sighing, I was about to get up as well when Kagome's voice echoed from my right.   
  
  
  
"Sorry, Kouga-kun. Please, _try_ to like Inuyasha, even just a little bit. He's a good person." The girl was quiet for a few seconds, eyes hidden underneath dark bangs. Finally, she perked up and gave me the usual smile. "Ne, Kouga-kun, get better soon, 'kay?" And then she was gone.   
  
  
  
I fell back down into the blankets, closing my eyes. _Try_ to like Inuyasha? Che. If only she knew...   
  
  
  
>   
  
  
  
Tugging my protesting hair back into its usual restraints and adjusting my armor, I stared cautiously around me before slipping out of the hut. I had no intention of bumping into Kaede again. She had already blown up on me once more after she had found the ruined bowl. Kagome claimed that the miko wasn't usually like this, that the woman was just a bit unnerved after the previous attack youkai had inflicted on her village. That explained the numerous shifty glances the miko placed on me. She didn't trust me. Che. Not like I needed the trust of a pathetic human in the first place.   
  
  
  
Once outside, I pushed my head back and inhaled the fresh air deeply. I had always been fond of nature, even though my father had disapproved of it. Then again, my father had disapproved of almost everything, not like it mattered. At least it meant that he knew I existed.   
  
  
  
I spotted a familiar sword leaning carelessly on the side of the house. Biting my lip, I slowly approached it. I tentatively stroked the hilt and could feel the blade quivering underneath my touch. Lips curling back in a snarl, I ignored the fear that dashed through me and grabbed the weapon, dominating it once again and putting it safely against my side. This was ridiculous. Whoever heard of a youkai being afraid of his own weapon?   
  
  
  
But, as I gazed down at the almost ordinary hilt, I had to admit that I had been lucky. The sword was dangerous, and I knew it. Thankfully, in my crazed and fitful stage, the blade had easily bent to my will. But only for a few seconds. I knew that it had been eager for the blood that I had long kept from it.   
  
  
  
So deep in my thoughts, I didn't notice the sound of the intruder approaching, or the bold, familiar scent. A fist came swerving up to meet my face and I dodged it just in time, thanks to the shards in my legs.   
  
  
  
"What the hell -?" I snapped, the calm shattering in seconds.   
  
  
  
"Bastard! What the fuck were you thinking?" The hanyou spat in my face, golden eyes glinting in anger.   
  
  
  
"Shut up, mutt!" I yelled back, wiping the spit off of my face and glaring at him. Inuyasha. "What's up your ass today? Or are you just bitchy because your precious Kagome loves me more that she loves you?"   
  
  
  
Tetsusaiga glowed and changed as it was whipped out of its sheath. "You fucked up wolf! You almost killed Kagome, and you still think she loves you?"   
  
  
  
"Che. You think I did that on purpose, did you? What, wanna fight?" My hand lingered on my sword hilt a second longer before I brought both hands up in front of me, balled in fists. I couldn't risk it. And besides, why would I enjoy ruining that pretty face? Though I hated to admit it, Inuyasha looked damn sexy when he was mad. My mind started to wander...   
  
  
  
"Bring it on! I'll kill you this time, I swear!" He made a lung for me and I snapped out of my daydream, jumping up quickly and flipping over his back. Landing evenly on my feet, I turned around and aimed a punch at his sword-wielding hand.   
  
  
  
He had gotten faster. There was a blur of red and then something hard collided into my stomach. Gasping for air, I was lifted off of my feet and slammed harshly into the wall of the hut. My hands automatically went up to my throat, where two palms were currently held, cutting off my air supply and hard enough to bruise.   
  
  
  
"Damn... mutt..." I managed to gasp, barely able to pry his fingers away from my neck. Dammit! Why was I so pathetically weak? "Fuck off -"   
  
  
  
"If you ever get close to Kagome again, I'll murder you." His hot breath washed over my face, and I suddenly realized how close we were. A small shiver ran down my spine.   
  
  
  
Getting rid of my roving thoughts, I snarled back at him, not about to lose a verbal match. "Funny. I thought you already said you were gonna kill me. Chickening out, are we?"   
  
  
  
He made an angry sound in the back of his throat before responding sharply. I was barely paying attention, my eyes fixed on his face, lost in those golden orbs. Several strands of his silver hair brushed against my cheeks, which started reddening. Shit.   
  
  
  
My mother had once told me that to get rid of a blush, you'd need to stare at something red. I jumped into quick action, tearing my gaze away and focusing it on the first crimson thing that caught my eye - which turned out to be an even bigger mistake. I found myself staring openly at Inuyasha's shirt.   
  
  
  
Thankfully, he didn't notice, taking advantage of my silence and too caught up in his ramblings. He had obviously assumed that he had won this time, with that smug expression on his face. It amazed me once again that no matter what Inuyasha did, no matter how annoying it was, he still managed to look hot...   
  
  
  
Zoning back in, my blue eyes glinted as I starting cursing him again. He blinked at my comment and then growled one back, which I smartly replied to. And then it would start all over again. The insults varied from colors to hair and even to long dead parents. Every word and sharp phrase brought our heads closer together, though for different reasons, most likely.   
  
  
  
I was starting to get tired, realizing that this verbal fight was longer that usual, probably due to the fact that Kagome wasn't here to stop us. To my greater frustration, the damn mutt didn't look like he was going to give it up any time soon. In fact, he looked like he had only warmed up, and was just getting started. And the fact that he was so close didn't help either.   
  
  
  
I don't know what caused me to do it. I was infuriated, cheeks blotchy from my anger. My hands had found their way to the collar of his shirt, and his mine. Snarling, spitting, snapping. Half of my brain was zoning out, since I was still a bit worn from my previous near-accident. Growling and trying to back away, which didn't work since my back was already pressed up against the wall, I spat openly in his face.   
  
  
  
He blinked for a second, stunned, and I immediately wanted to apologize, wanted to wipe the spit off of his smooth face. The guiltiness didn't last long however, and he started rambling again, throwing insults at my face. "You damn wolf! What was that all about? You..." Blah blah blah. And then, "What the hell's wrong with you?"   
  
  
  
Tired of getting insulted and positively fuming, both at Inuyasha's stupidity at my feelings and for my own insanity, I yelled, "You really wanna know?" before grabbing his soft hair, jerking his head forward sharply and crushing my lips against his.   
  
  
  
Had this been a different situation, I would have thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of his lips against mine, his scent, his warmth... But this was all wrong. Inuyasha was probably going to bit my head off after this...   
  
  
  
Remembering that this was supposed to be some sort of punishment, I took advantage of Inuyasha's shock and bit his bottom lip fiercely, hard enough to draw blood. I felt him yelp and pull away. I did too, though less willingly, and snapped at him before he could say anything, licking my lips to get rid of the blood. "There? You happy? I'm fucked up, alright?"   
  
  
  
I had just kissed Inuyasha. I couldn't believe it. What the hell was wrong with me? Damn it Kouga! What the fuck had that been about? Though it had been nice, if not a bit abusive... No! My mind started screaming at me, and I stood with my hands balled into fists, slowly watching his reaction change from anger to disgust, his hand wiping his bleeding lip.   
  
  
  
Rejection. That was my first thought.   
  
  
  
"You sick bastard! Get the hell away from me!" The hanyou backed away, eyes glittering dangerously as he shoved me aside. Without turning to look at me, he stalked away, Tetsusaiga obeying silently as it was slammed harshly back into its sheath.   
  
  
  
Yep, rejection. Though in a harsher, ripped-into-shreds kind of way. It hurt. It really hurt.   
  
  
  
I had half wanted him to hit me, slice at me, hell, even kill me. But this silent treatment thing... it was much worse.   
  
  
  
On the other side of the hut, there came a loud smack and a frustrated scream, sounding suspiciously like that demon huntress and a low moan of pain from that perverted monk. Oh great. Just what I needed right now. Company.   
  
  
  
A lump grew in my throat and refused to leave, no matter how hard I shoved at it. What was wrong with me? I had been expecting a rejection - the damn hanyou couldn't possibly like me back. So why did it hurt so much?   
  
  
  
In the middle of my self-pitying session, my ears twitched and I turned. Black hair, hazel eyes, annoyingly soothing voice. Kagome.   
  
  
  
I couldn't, just couldn't, face her right now. And... her expression... that painfully fake smile. Eyes with a depressing shine. Had she... had she seen it? Had she seen everything?   
  
  
  
She was walking in a slightly slower fashion, a stunned expression quickly fading from her face as she looked at me. "Kouga-kun, I -"   
  
  
  
No. I didn't want to talk to her. I didn't want to see her, listen to her, even know her. The one girl that loved Inuyasha who he also loved back... I think, in that split second, I hated her. What was it that I felt? Jealousy? No... of course not. But I still couldn't talk to her.   
  
  
  
And so I did the only thing that made sense at that time.   
  
  
  
I ran.   
  
  
  



	3. Chapter Three :: Blue Eyes

**A/N:** Another chapter! I was going to update this sooner (I finished writing it almost a week ago) but always ended up forgetting. I literally have the same brain power as a goldfish. Hm, maybe that's why Goldie get along so well... cough But anyhoo, that's _not_ the point here. The point is that I finally got around to posting this, so yay for me!   
  
And as some of you may have noticed, the chapter titles in the scrolly thing (I am SO descriptive, XP) now have 'Blue Eyes' attached to the ends of them. That should help people understand that the chapter in the Kouga's POV. When a chapter title has 'Golden Eyes' at the end, then that part is obviously in Inuyasha's POV. If none of that made sense, then just ignore an author's useless and stupid drabble and continue reading as if you heard nothing. And don't forget to review!   
  
**Golden Eyes**  
Natsue Arishima   
  
**Chapter Three**

****   
  
My heart was pounding fiercely in my chest, jumping occasionally up into my throat and causing me to wheeze. My legs were a steady blur, bumping the side of my sword, but even for the strength of Shikon shards, I had run a considerable amount of distance. If they had broken, however, sometime during my five-hour sprint, I wouldn't even have noticed.   
  
All I was aware of was the ache in my soul. The angry golden eyes. The throbbing of my heart.   
  
All because of that damn hanyou.   
  
I was cursing him again, cursing him for the uncountable time in the past several hours. My body was getting tired, but my mind was not. My fury, loneliness... they refused to leave me. Refused to even dim.   
  
I really wanted to hate him.   
  
The sun was casting its last remaining rays of light, of hope, over the slender mountains. The sky was mixed with blue and red, yellow and lavender. Had I not been in such an angry state, I would have paused to look. Sunset had always been my favorite time of day, after all.   
  
But today, I barely even noticed it. The sun seemed to flicker at me before disappearing behind the hills. The long string of dazzling light gradually faded and the clouds turned to darker hues, of ebony, crimson, amethyst, and dark cobalt. Reflecting my despair.   
  
I continued running, sprinting for all that I was worth. The wind whipping my face, clawing harshly through my hair. A dull ache ran up my legs but I ignored it, blue eyes dark and glinting, intent on the lands far off in the distance. I didn't know how far I had ran; I didn't even where I was.   
  
But all I knew that I needed to get away from him. Fast.   
  
The sensible part of my brain told me firmly that not even a whole demon would be able to catch up with a raving madman like me with the help of the shards, let alone Inuyasha. And yet I continued my blind escape, the remaining, bigger part of my brain in a frantic fray.   
  
One by one, stars dotted the now black sky. Constellations formed, ones that I knew so well, ones that I knew by heart. The moon crept out of the clouds and shimmered, its ghostly white sheen almost glowing with mystery.   
  
Eventually, as the moon rose up to its highest extent, even one as insane as myself knew that I could run no longer. I was gasping, choking on air itself, doubled over and clutching my shaking knees. I spat my hair out of my face angrily, suddenly forming a mental picture in my mind of how Hakkaku and Ginta would freak to see me like this. The thought brought a half-formed smile to my face just to prove how tired and crazy I was.   
  
Indeed, I had totally forgotten about those two annoying faggots for who knows how long. They were probably skitting around in the dark right now, screaming in fear at a mere glance at one another and trembling with the thought of demons. Pathetic.   
  
But I hate to admit, I was concerned for them.   
  
God I was getting so damn weak.   
  
When my breathing slowed, I dropped onto the cool grass, enjoying how it felt against my burning body. My eyes were dull, taking in the usual breath-taking sky with less enthusiasm. Slowly, I let my heavy lids droop shut, promising myself that I wouldn't go to sleep. Then again, sleep wouldn't be so bad...   
  
Blackness over took me once more, so much like how it did just several days ago, except this time I wasn't weary from transforming. The last thought that entered my mind before sleep was that in the morning, I'd find Hakkaku and Ginta. We'd continue our hunt for Naraku, and then everything would be normal again.   
  
Normal, and my life would no longer need golden eyes.

  
  
The sun was already high up in the sky by the time I woke up. Even so, I was weary and worn, with a dull pounding in my head and stabbing pains shooting up my legs and chest. I could barely even move, let alone stand, and ended up crawling on my hands and knees. My ears twitched, and took in the sound of running water. Slowly, I dragged myself off in that direction.   
  
Unlike last night, the grass now felt rough and sharp against my skin, the quick edges cutting deep and drawing blood. I was burning hot, too hot, and panting, collapsed onto the ground again, breath rattling. What the hell was wrong with me?   
  
My vision dimmed but I shrugged it off, cursing myself for my weakness. With a hiss, followed by a low, canine whimper, I pushed myself up onto all fours again, nails digging into the soft earth as I fought to get a hold strong enough to keep me upright, even though I was clambering on flat land.   
  
The sound of water slowly but steadily grew closer, before the noise was roaring in my sensitive ears. Digging and limping past a strange ring of trees, I found myself in a small clearing. I was in a forest. Strange... I didn't remember seeing any pines the night before.   
  
Shrugging the thought out of my mind, I instead focused on my surroundings. To my left, a few feet away, ran a small, glistening river. My eyes devoured it hungrily, and followed the elegant source of life as it curved down to form a large, plentiful lake in the middle of the clearing. The crystalline waters shimmered warmly to me and I suddenly struggled to my feet, my energy returning only long enough to get my body to the water's edge.   
  
There, I fell clumsily to my feet, dropping my face to the water and lapping it like a hound. I didn't care about my manners for the first few minutes, darting out with my tongue and smiling in glee as the cool liquid ran smoothly down my throat, licking happily at the water spilling out of my mouth. Ah yes... This was heaven.   
  
When my need for water had been quenched, I leaned back on my heels. I was still tired, and wasn't anywhere near a good fighting condition. The thought worried me.   
  
I gazed at myself in the water and wrinkled my nose in disgust. Vainly, I attempted to fix my appearance, clawing with dirt-filled nails through tangled strands of ebony, rubbing dirt marks with life-saving water and wrinkling out my clothes. My sword I left alone, though the blade and sheath remained clear and seemingly untouched. I doubt I would have cleaned it even if the weapon had been dirty as hell.   
  
My reflection satisfied me. It wasn't perfect, but it'd do. That done, I smiled and fell back onto the grass, shutting my eyes and marveling at my luck. But the whole forest and lake did seem a bit strange. Nature couldn't just reorganize herself in a few seconds, could she? Then again, I had been a bit out of it. Maybe I hadn't examined my surroundings properly.   
  
Or not.   
  
My eyes shot open, even though I forced my body to remain still. That unmistakable smell, just a few feet away.   
  
Naraku.   
  
So _he_ had conjured up this illusion. But if it was merely an illusion, then why did everything feel so real? Why had I felt real water in my mouth, on my skin?   
  
There was a crunch of twigs and I tensed, though still remained stubbornly on my back, my eyes on the sky. Naraku... he was close... My ears twitched and I sniffed the air quietly, careful not to make any sudden movements. I knew I wasn't able to fight, so I could only stick with a quick attack.   
  
Now!   
  
I jumped up, and spun around, fist outstretched. My powerful punch collided with metal, shattering it. My eyes widened. Naraku? Armor?   
  
He smirked at me, those cold crimson eyes glittering underneath the wavy dark bangs. He looked almost impressive, with grand robes and intricate armor. They fanned out behind him, almost creating a bow at the small of his back. Darkness stretched around him, black and cold. I could help but shiver, my fist still on his chest. He hadn't even winced, just stood there, watching me. I suddenly felt incredibly weak.   
  
"You seem surprised at my appearance. You obviously weren't conscious when Kikyo died..." So soft and evil.   
  
"Bastard!" I shrieked, spinning and kicking him square in the jaw. His eyes widened slightly, but he quickly hid it, raising a hand and darting towards my face. I flipped over him, my energy draining quickly, and as my feet touched the ground, I shook and almost fell. My eyes glazed at him with hatred, even though I knew that he could kill me with a flick of his fingers. But I didn't care. His damn henchman had killed, no, slaughtered my clan.   
  
My fingers itched for my sword, but he moved first, clamping a cool but firm grip over my wrist. "You're not going to use that, are you?" he whispered in his light and yet deadly voice. "Because then I'd have to kill you."   
  
"I'd like to see you try," I spat bitterly, trying to pull away but failing.   
  
He smiled again, that same cold smile. "Then again, I've never actually seen the power of your weapon. Care to show it to me?"   
  
I froze. Naraku sent his knowing and evil gaze across my face.   
  
"You haven't mastered it yet? Pity." His face remained neutral, and I trembled under his grip, eyeing him carefully, warily. But was too slow to move as his cold eyes suddenly jumped into life and I was sent flying backwards. I skidded across the grass, winded and shocked, and lay still, eyes on the clouds.   
  
He neared me and knelt down at my side, robes crinkling elegantly and eyes dimming to their usual dull red. I would have rolled away if I had the strength. The man scared me. He really did.   
  
I almost jumped as I felt a cool hand caress my cheek. My anger came to me slowly, but after a few seconds, there was a bubbling inferno of wrath in my chest. It was replaced with surprise, however, when he leaned towards me, silky strands of hair brushing my face. My heart pounded in my throat, and I shivered in disgust. What the hell? I didn't want this! I didn't want... I didn't want love anymore.   
  
To my great relief, he stopped, face inches away from mine. I could feel his cool breath on my face, cool and fresh, which amazed me. His eyes were nicer too, from close up, almost that of a woman, scarlet against the pale skin.   
  
"I want you to do something for me," he whispered, and I swallowed. No, I wouldn't do it. I shut my eyes, breathing deeply. He was trying to trick me, trying to get me to agreed simply by getting close to me. Well, I wasn't going to let that happen. As if he read my mind, Naraku sighed. "Refuse, and I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself..." His lips drifted lower and he ran his tongue lightly up the side of my neck. My eyes burst open and I shifted. His grip found my arms again and he held me down, eyes glinting cruelly from behind his beautiful mask.   
  
"What do you want?" I whispered, glaring at him with pure hate.   
  
"You're a rival of Inuyasha's, correct? Well then, the answer is simple. For five Shikon shards, I want you to..." He lowered his face again under his nose brushed mine. "Kill Inuyasha." He emphasized each word by nipping my lips.   
  
I stared up at him, stunned. Kill... Inuyasha? What was he, insane? I wouldn't do it. WOULD NOT DO IT. To kill him, murder him... He'd be gone, forever...   
  
However... my mind washed over the previous events and a determined glint came to my eyes. He deserved it. That fucking hanyou deserved death. Deserved pain. Suffering. I wanted to make him scream.   
  
But to die...   
  
Naraku eyed me slyly. "I take the silence means a no...?" he murmured in his cool voice. One of his hands wandered down to my exposed stomach, caressing the firm skin. I almost moaned but caught myself in time.   
  
"I'll do it." A bare whisper.   
  
"Good answer," he replied, pulling me up to my feet. I kept my distance though; I still didn't trust him. However, he quickly grabbed my arm. I was about to protest when he hissed, "Our bargain."   
  
Pain shot through my body, so much like the time before when Kagura had placed a shard in my flesh. But this time, the pain was intensified times five, and I couldn't help it. I screamed, screamed my lungs out. There was a burning fire in my eyes, knives digging into my flesh. It hurt. Like hell.   
  
And then it was over, and I was lying limply in Naraku's arms. For a split second, a horrifying and yet amazing second, I felt the power, the sheer burning strength in my limbs, my blood. It was energy I had never felt before. I felt like a god. Even the air I breathed in was different, stronger, purer. But then it was over, and something was wrong. Very, very wrong. And then I knew why.   
  
I was no longer in control of my body.   
  
It was like I was in a prison of darkness. I was bound to a metal chair, hackles around my wrists and ankles. There was an anicent, oval-shaped mirror in front of me, with vines and symbols carved on the sides, and I was watching myself through it, watching my body ignore my will. I forced myself to stand up but my limbs didn't respond. Instead, Naraku laughed, bent his head back and laughed, and the cold tingling voice was implanted in my brain.   
  
"Your five shards, as we agreed, Kouga-kun."   
  
How dare he call me by that name! I wanted to hit him, kill him, but... my body... damn him...   
  
"One thing that I forgot to mention. Your body... it'll be under the shards' control. The shards that you will unpurify for me, blacken with hate for Inuyasha, and even yourself. And if you try to fight it, there is a rare chance of you surviving. So be careful, and obey quietly for your own good."   
  
He smirked at me again, eyes glittering with something that I couldn't quite place. But it was dark, evil, and I realized with a jolt that, though I was now equiped with unbeatable strength, I was still vunerable to him. To Naraku. The shards obeyed him, and I obeyed the shards. And then I knew that it was lust in his eyes. My trapped mind, my soul, forever bound to the pitiless chair, shivered, but to my great relief, the crimson-eyed man turned away. "Kill him, Kouga-kun."   
  
I gritted my teeth, and could only watch in despair as my body staggered up and faded away.


	4. Chapter Four :: Gold Eyes

**A/N: **I'm back, once again, after... quite a while. Whoops. Sorry. I tried to update this sooner, but... ah, screw it with excuses. I'll just admit it: I got lazy. Hehe... Gomen gomen! dodges tomatoes But hey,I updated, so there! Anyhoo, thankies for all of the fabulous reviews! But enough ranting. Our story continues... this time, as a little treat, in Inuyasha's POV!

**Golden Eyes**

Natsue Arishima

**Chapter Four**  
  
"Inuyasha? INUYASHA!"  
  
My ears twitched and I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut and rolling over on my branch, not wanting to see anyone right now. Especially not damn fox cubs. I already had enough things on my mind, and even though beating that kid repetitively over the head was amusing enough, I couldn't find the energy to do anything right now.  
  
Thoughts were swarming in my mind that I just couldn't get rid of. Of that damn wolf, that stupid fucked up wolf. Had he been toying with me? Even so, it had been disgusting. Utterly revolting. My nose twitched and I rubbed at it with a clawed hand. It had already passed several days, and yet I still smelled like wolf. Would this damn scent ever wash off?  
  
I growled when the stupid kitsune continued to whine. He was really pushing it... One more cry and I couldn't take it anymore. "URUSAI!" I roared, patience finally snapping. I jumped off the branch angrily, glaring at him.  
  
The demented thing gave a screech and took off. Pathetic.  
  
"Come back here, dammit!" Once again, I was racing around and around after him, even though I felt no joy this time. So why was I chasing him? I wasn't obligated to it. Damn Shippo probably just wanted another excuse to have Kagome 'osuwari' me to the ground.  
  
I slowed to a stop and just turned back to my previous hideout, hoping that my furious movements would keep others away. With another angry snarl, just to make sure that Shippo wasn't following me, I jumped up into the tree again, settling down sideways on the branch and adjusting my sword.  
  
Shutting my eyes, I sighed. Perhaps sleeping could take my mind off of its problems right now... But no... even then, the fierce blue eyes of the damn wolf blazed behind my eyelids.  
  
I beat my head with a fist, muttering and cursing under my breath. Why? Just why did he have to do that? Shouting and punching was fine with me, but actually kissing...?  
  
I shuddered at the thought. Why the fuck had he done that? Unconsciously, I licked my lips, running my tongue over several blood clots where he had bit me. My eyes widened at my body's automatic movement and I hissed, spitting venomously onto the ground below me. I heard a surprised whine and rolled my eyes. It was the kitsune's own fault that he had tried to sneak up on me again.  
  
"Argh..." I muttered, sitting up. This wasn't helping. I needed to do something... anything... to get my mind off of him.  
  
My ears perked up as I heard a new set of footsteps approaching and my angry state faded away almost immediately. Kagome.  
  
It surprised me when I first started having feelings for her, the very girl that had Kikyo's blood running through her veins. But how could I not, when I realized that she possessed almost all of Kikyo's good traits plus some of her own. It was impossible to stay angry at her, and I always felt relaxed around the miko reincarnate. Opening my eyes, I jumped down to meet her.  
  
I noticed almost immediately that there was something wrong. Besides the fact that she hadn't talked to me for several days, there was something else in her eyes, something that I couldn't place and yet looked strangely familiar... like how she looked whenever I was with Kikyo...  
  
"Oi... Kagome," I drawled, waving a hand in front of her face and placing on my usual bored expression. Her eyes were hidden underneath her lock of bangs. This was odd. I'd only seen her like this a couple times in the past. Wasn't she supposed to be smiling like usual? I plopped down onto all fours.  
  
"How... how've you been?" I questioned awkwardly, my gaze up at the sky and occasionally sneaking glances at her.  
  
"Fine. Kaede's been nice to me, and the villagers are always loading me with free food. I haven't seen much of Sango-chan and Miroku-sama though." She sat down next to me with a small laugh, though I knew that she wasn't amused at all. "Think they're finally hitting it off?"  
  
"Feh. I bet that perverted Houshi's forcing her into it or something." I glanced at her again, hoping to cheer her up, but Kagome continued to avoid my gaze.  
  
It was quiet. Too quiet. "Where's that damn fox?" I tried to start up the conversation again. No such luck.  
  
"He's inside with Kirara."  
  
After several other attempts, when Kagome had made it obvious that she didn't want to talk, I couldn't take it any longer. The silence was killing me, and the fact that I was still confused about the whole wolf deal didn't help either. Swallowing and hoping that she wouldn't take advantage of the stupid charm around my neck, I finally snapped, "What the hell's wrong with you?"  
  
Shit. That... came out wrong...  
  
She froze. I could feel her shock and distress seeping into my skin, and goose bumps sprouted on my arms. Uh oh. I squeezed my eyes shut, ears straining for that one word...  
  
I was surprised when she abruptly stood up, hands in fists at her sides. She lifted her head so that her eyes were visible and faced me directly. I could tell that she was unsure of herself, and almost afraid. That got me frowning. Kagome? Afraid of me? What the fuck?  
  
"Ano..." Her gaze shifted to the ground before she looked up again immediately, as if ashamed at her momentary weakness. There was pain in her eyes. Yep. It was going to be one of her probing questions. But I didn't see why it was necessary. The question was usually related to my 'love life', if I even had one, but I hadn't spoken to Kikyo for months. I... couldn't... speak to Kikyo, even if I wanted to. Naraku had made sure of that.  
  
Angry flared inside of me but I quenched it quickly. Kikyo was gone. It was all about Kagome down. And I wasn't going to let her go; I wasn't going to have Kagome suffer like Kikyo did.  
  
"Inuyasha..." she stuttered. "What... I mean..." I could practically see the sweat pouring down her face. Seriously, relax...  
  
"What do you think of me?"  
  
Silence.  
  
That caught me off guard. My eyes widened as I looked up at her, mouth partially open. Of all the things I though she'd say, this phrase was the one least expected. I suddenly choked. Hadn't... hadn't Kikyo asked me the very same question, fifty years ago? I didn't know what to say.  
  
She must have noticed my stunned expression, because she continued talking, eyes downcast and hands wringing hopelessly together. "Ne, Inuyasha. I just want to know. You're probably thinking I'm insane right now... but... please, tell me. Do you feel anything... anything at all? For me..." Her words grew fainter, until the last two were barely a whisper. There was an obvious blush in her cheeks.  
  
"Kagome... I –"  
  
She cut me off, smiling faintly as she turned away. "Don't. I don't want to know. I saw it. I saw everything. With you... and..." she choked, "K-Kouga- kun..."  
  
Once again, silence followed her words. But this time, they took longer to sink in...  
  
What the fuck? I stared numbly at her back, shock exploding into all of my senses. What the hell was she talking about? Seen me, with that wimpy youkai? When was...  
  
Then it hit me. Shit.  
  
She had seen him... kissing me. I gaped at her in shock, mouth flapping uselessly. What was she, insane? Kouga? The one who's constantly out to get Kagome? Me? The one who chokes whenever wolves are close? I nearly gagged, but couldn't find my voice. She made it seem like I actually liked that fucked up wolf! My rival, my enemy! Like I would even think about it! I'm not even gay, dammit! Hell no!  
  
"I'm... I'm not –"I stuttered, feeling dumb and stupid. "Kagome, you'd actually think –"  
  
"It's okay, Inuyasha. I just wished... that you'd actually trust me enough to tell me." There was a bitterness to her voice. My hand reached up weakly to stop her but she had walked away, out of the ring of trees and towards Kaede's hut.  
  
"Kagome..."  
  
Damn that wolf.  
  
  
  
Stupid, gay, idiotic, foul, dumb, ass, pathetic, weak, filthy, smelly... No word was fit enough to describe that egotistical, sick, and horribly weak youkai with a brain the size of a pea. I fumed in anger, walking well ahead of the rest of the group. Behind me, Sango and Miroku were trying to get Kagome to talk, but all she did was stare at my back. I shifted uncomfortably, increasing my pace.  
  
With a flash of fire, Kirara jumped gracefully to my side. The great cat demon purred, rubbing her head against my shoulder, and Sango leapt down from her back. Transforming into her other form, Kirara jumped into the huntress's arms. We walked for a while in silence, with the Taijiya fingering her boomerang and me avoiding her eyes. Finally, when the awkward silence became madly deafening, Sango stared hard at me. "Inuyasha. What happened between you and Kagome?"  
  
I growled angrily, and had it been Miroku or Shippo, I would have most likely been left alone. But this was Sango, and the demon huntress never backed down from a youkai.  
  
Ignoring this fact, I remained silent and kept on walking. We had left Kaede's hut in the afternoon, and the sun was already low in the sky. Kagome had avoided me for the most part, and the aftereffects of my shock still hadn't left me. The only thing I could do was blame everything on Kouga. Stupid, dumbass Kouga.  
  
Sango sighed next to me. "You should apologize, Inuyasha."  
  
I twitched. Why the hell was I the one who needed to apologize? Kagome was the one who wouldn't believe me! It was always, 'Oh Inuyasha! Kagome's mad. Maybe you should go apologize!' I was about to snap, but realized that yelling at Sango would be rather unfair.  
  
Grunting, I just turned around and glared at Kagome, nearly tripping on the row of bushes in front of me, before stalking away again. This time, Sango let me go without a word.  
  
I could hear the others quietly setting up camp behind me and I didn't bother to help. I could sense Miroku wanting to stop me, but before he said anything, Kagome spoke up. "I'll go talk to him."  
  
Her voice was so quiet that it frightened me. Swallowing, I continued to walk forward, towards the nearest tree, but it didn't take an idiot to figure out that my pace had slowed dramatically.  
  
Now at the base of the tree, I sighed and sat down, leaning against it and cushioning my head with my arms. Breathing out, my eyelids drooped over golden eyes and I relaxed for that split second, bitterness and anger fading.  
  
There was a crunch of leaves and Kagome settled down next to me. I squeezed my eyes tighter, not going to say anything if she wasn't going to.  
  
"Inuyasha."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Ne, Inuyasha. Sorry... about my behavior earlier. I know I wasn't exactly supportive, but..."  
  
What the? Was she still assuming that Kouga and I were... Ugh. Not going there. I swallowed, clenching my fists. Didn't the girl know that I liked her? And the fact that she thought I was gay... Fury bottled up inside of me.  
  
"Kagome!" I snarled, sitting upright and forcing her to look at me. She did, unwillingly, with doubt in her eyes. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about but that damn wolf and I have nothing going on! You claim that you saw us, but I doubt you heard what we said. Seriously... I don't know why you would even consider me together with that bastard." Glaring at her, I growled angrily, unable to find any more words to voice my disgust, before bolting to my feet and jumping onto a higher branch. I didn't want to yell more than I already had.  
  
She was quiet below me and I regretted my outburst almost instantly. "Kagome..." I tried again, forcing my voice to remain soft.  
  
Her weak laughter cut me off. I glanced below me, towards her bright face. She looked up at me, dusting the dirt off of her uniform as she slowly stood up. "So. That's it. Gomen, Inuyasha. I was stupid for doubting you." She suddenly smiled, and it was one of her dazzling innocent smiles. I had to grin back. "You know," she whispered, leaning against the tree, "Now, when I try picturing you and Kouga-kun together... it's a bit weird. I should have figured that out earlier. But... why was he..."  
  
I cleared my throat loudly. "That's his damn problem. How am I supposed to know what goes on in his fucked up mind?"  
  
I jumped back down to her again, knowing that she was now back to normal. She grinned, deep in thought as she stared up at the sky through gaps in the high branches. Before I knew what had happened, her arms were around me, face buried deep in my clothes. Slowly, I relaxed, shutting my eyes and hugging her back. I smiled as I breathed in her scent.  
  
Kagome...  
  
  
  
It was dark. The only source of light was the flickering fire in front of me. I stared at the flames, at the shadows sliding across the ground. The sky was vast and empty above me, void of the moon and stars. Just a pure, dark sheet of ebony.  
  
The fire snapped and I nearly jumped. Groaning, I sat up and prodded the firewood with Tetsusaiga's sheath. Red and orange flames hissed before settling down again.  
  
Besides me, there was a rustling of cloth, and I turned just in time to see Kagome sit up, eyes wide. She shook her head, as if trying to push a thought or idea out of her mind, before rubbing her eyes furiously and staring nervously around her. Her dark hair gave off a bluish tinge in the glare of the fire.  
  
"Kagome?" I whispered, careful not to disturb the sleeping Miroku, Sango and Shippo. Kirara opened a scarlet eye. I expected her to go back to sleep but the fire cat must have sensed something in the air, perhaps Kagome's unease, and stood up, tail swishing.  
  
"Inuyasha..." the girl of the future whispered, clutching her blanket closer to her body. "Shikon shards... A lot of them. They're getting closer." Her hand rested lightly on top of her bow.  
  
"Nani?" I exclaimed, a bit too loudly, and the rest of the group woke with a start. It amazed me how quickly everyone could spring into action; loosening my own sword, I watched out of the corner of my eye as Miroku reached for his staff and Shippo jumped into Sango's arms.  
  
Before I could say anything, something burst out of the bushes in front of me with a swirl of wind, branches, and leaves. It was too fast; I wasn't given time to think, wasn't given time to draw out Tetsusaiga. Something impossibly strong and hard rammed into my stomach and pain shot through me. I heard Kagome scream but didn't comprehend it as I was sent flying through the air, winded and stunned.  
  
My back slammed into someone else's body and both the person and I sprawled backwards, skidding across the dry ground. I stared upwards, shock still rendering my senses, and the thing beneath me squirmed and a fuzzy tail popped up near my nose. Shippo...  
  
A few feet away, Miroku was yelling and running towards me. When my surprise and pain had passed, I groaned and struggled to my feet. Someone hissed behind me and I turned to see Sango struggling to get up, supported by a large cat and a pale-faced monk. Kagome was running our way as well.  
  
"Damn," I snarled, turning around and unsheathing my sword. Tetsusaiga transformed and I braced it in front of me, shaking my hair out of my eyes until my vision was clear.  
  
What I saw made my mouth drop.  
  
Eyes hidden by shadow, the demon's smirk was the only visible feature on his face. The amber wolf's tail twitched behind him, merging with his fur- made garb and chest armor. I gaped, eyes trailing up the muscular frame until they rested on the hidden face. I knew that scent. I could recognize it anywhere.  
  
Laughing softly in a way that made the hairs on my neck stick up, he stepped forward, blue eyes blazing. Beside me, Kagome gasped, eyes wide and gripping my sleeve. "K-Kouga-kun..."


	5. Chapter Five :: Gold Eyes

**A/N:** Meh... sorry for the horrendous, tedious, long, dull delay! Sadly, Lily moved away, so I suppose that was the main reason my brain shut down against this story, but I realized later how much I actually liked this, so... And thank all of you, so so so so much, for the reviews! They were great, and though this seems corny enough, kept me coming back to this fic, a little bit at a time. Thanks so much again, and hopefully all of you can forgive me for such a long wait!

**Golden Eyes**  
Natsue Arishima

**Chapter Five**

There was a soft crunch as he paced forward slowly, his gaze never leaving mine. His azure eyes were cold, lifeless and indifferent to the world around him, no longer warm or alive. Eyes of the dead… Reflected flames danced over their glassy surface, and the light of the moon lit his face. The familiar posture, straight black hair, and the armor…

But at the same time, it wasn't him. His skin was paler, and there was a lean look about him, like there was nothing besides skin, muscle and bones. His very scent was different, a scent that I still hated, but it was intensified with power. And Shikon shards.

I refused to believe it. I admit, I hated the bastard. He was my rival, my enemy. But to see him like this, a walking wraith, was too much.

Damn that wolf.

Kagome shivered besides me, her large eyes glistening with tears. She was shaking, I could sense it, her small hand tangled tightly into my sleeve. "K-Kouga-kun…"

His icy eyes flickered towards Kagome. There was something behind them, a mixture of lust and fury, and my hands balled into fists. "You fucking wolf, you'd better leave her alone!" I could feel myself shaking with anger, eyeing him. There was something wrong. Something obviously wrong. He smirked, and started to head towards her, revealing a single canine. His tail swished out behind him.

That was it.

I snapped, lunging forward, Tetsusaiga raised. I had had enough of his shit. There was hot fury within me, raging through my entire body, just from looking at him. It was always about Kagome for him, and he seemed to find fucking amusement to see me angry about it. He didn't even have a thing for her — I wasn't so stupid as to not figure that out. Because of him, Kagome was always doubting my emotions. Why else would he have even thought of…

Dammit! Don't think about that…

My sudden movement seemed to spur the stupid being into action. I cursed as he sprang towards me with godly speed. There was a rush in my ears, and he appeared inches from my face, the same cold smile lighting his features. I could feel his breath, faint and cool.

"You smell like wolf, mutt," he whispered…

… Before his fist connected with my stomach.

Pain shot through my already injured ribs, lancing pitilessly through my mind. I was flung backwards as easily as a doll, mentally cursing him. But in that split second, right before I hit the ground, I noticed his eyes. They were clouded and misty, blank. Lost. They betrayed the bitterness in his voice, the hate.

And the lightest whiff, another demon aura that I knew well. But… it wasn't possible… not fucking possible…

He smelled like Naraku.

Then my body hit the ground hard, and I was sent into a daze. Fuck! How the hell was he so damn powerful? My breath hitched unevenly in my throat, pressing my broken ribs. I could taste blood on my tongue. Tetsusaiga clattered onto the ground behind me, transforming back into a rusty blade.

I stared at the night sky, stunned. The stars twinkled innocently above me, denying pain to the world. I suddenly hated them, hated the wolf even more. I would kill him.

Kill him.

Over the cracking of the fire, there was a gasp close by, and someone crying, "Kagome-sama!" I jerked up immediately, growling at the pain and wincing. My head throbbed but I ignored it, forcing myself to my feet. Kagome… She needed me…

There she was, trembling as her knees dropped onto the ground, staring up into the lifeless eyes of the demon who had once strived for anything to please her. Now he just stared down coldly, a finger under her chin and forcing her to look into his eyes. A trail of crimson flowed down her neck.

New fury exploded within me, blinding my eyes and destroying my senses. That bastard… that fucking bastard… I had never felt this way before… Sure, I had wanted to kill him. Just kill him, not mash him into a pulp. I had never imagined shredding his skin into pieces, letting him watch helplessly as I tortured him, ripping his innards out. I'd never pictured him screaming in agony, writhing and glaring at me with eyes that slowly lost their shine. And I'd just stare back, letting his blood slowly drain from his body, let him die from the pain…

"Kagome," the man was whispering. His voice was hollow and cold. "You can sense them, can't you? My shards? How many to I have, Kagome? How many? Or are you just going to sit there and cry?"

I sprang forward, snarling, and he looked up, dodging my wild attack. The force of my lunge caused me to keep flying forward, straight past him, and I hissed, spinning around as I hit the ground and lunging again, wildly. I felt blind, trapped, wanting nothing except to feel his flesh on my hands, watch his blood drip lifelessly off of them…

To my horror, the demon was standing behind a silently crying Kagome. My claws stopped inches from her face.

She looked up at me, sniffing. Her message was clear: Please don't hurt him.

The wolf suddenly laughed, the sound sending chills down my spine. I twitched, a slight twinge of fear flooding through me. Fear for him, something that I had never thought possible. He was pathetically weak, a horrible excuse for a youkai.

_Had_ been weak.

Before I knew what had happened, he had jumped up and threw Kagome towards me. She screamed, terrified, and I caught her before she could hit the ground.

Please don't hurt him my ass.

Hiraikotsu darted past me, cutting swiftly through the air. I watched as he easily dodged it and sent the weapon flying back towards its owner with a flick of the fingers. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Miroku pull Sango out of the way, pressing her close to him. Her boomerang crashed into the ground seconds after, exactly where she previously stood.

"Where're you looking, mutt?"

There was a blur of blue and brown and my right arm began to throb and sting. Cursing, I stumbled backwards, shielding Kagome as the wolf slowly straightened from his crouch, eyes glinting as he licked blood off his claws. My blood.

I unconsciously shivered as his eyes locked onto mine again. He was smiling, grinning his wolfish smirk as his tongue darted out to clean the crimson off his lips. I was suddenly breathless and didn't know why. What the fuck was he going at? I snarled, my right arm hanging uselessly at my side, the pain now numb to me. I could hear steady dripping as cool liquid slid down my wrist.

I don't know how long I stood there like that, staring. My eyes were fixed on him, narrowed in dislike, but strangely couldn't shift their gaze. And the hatred… was it hatred? It was different though, slightly…

Why couldn't I move my eyes off his face? What the hell was wrong with me? He smirked, just standing there, slowly lapping at the blood with a pink tongue. Cold, cerulean eyes gazing at me, framed by smooth hair…

God dammit! I couldn't think straight anymore. Fuck fuck fuck. What the hell was I doing? Hello! Stop it, Inuyasha! Why was I so entranced by a madman who was currently out to kill me? Inuyasha, you dumb, dumb bastard…

It was Kagome's scream that jerked me back to life. I spun around, feeling her violent shakes of fear as she clutched my clothes, her bow lifeless in her hands. That damn wolf was no where in sight. I couldn't believe I had just zoned out. There was really something wrong with me. It was the effects of that stupid encounter. Nothing more.

There better be nothing more to it.

The silence stretched on. The only sound was of my harsh breathing and the cackling of the fire. But I knew he was still close, somewhere in the shadows… I could smell his fucking scent. The hair on my neck pricked as I continued to turn. Where? The suspense was killing me.

"God dammit, stop hiding!"

A flock of birds exploded from a distant tree and I jumped. God I was getting so fucking paranoid. Behind me, there were crunches of dried leaves and twigs as Miroku and Sango slowly inched towards us. Shippou was shaking violently in the monk's arms, while Kirara snarled, fur raised. The dancing flames of the fire lighted the abandoned boomerang. A few feet from it, Tetsusaiga gleamed. I swallowed.

If I could just get closer to it…

Looking down at Kagome, I swallowed, hating the fact that she had to be here. She didn't deserve this shit, not from anyone… At least she was safe. To see her hurt… I wouldn't be able to bear it. As she trembled within my arms, I couldn't help but smile, hoping that it would help cool her nerves. Almost as if out of a trance, she gazed up at me, terrified eyes calming.

Seconds passed, yet I didn't dare break away from her stare, questions and silent words forming behind my eyes. Just for a moment, and then everything would be okay… It was the only way.

She caught on to my message, eyes flashing with fear before slow understandment. Taking a shaky breath, she nodded, though I could sense her slight uncertainty. I knew she didn't want to hurt him, but it was either kill or be killed. And I wouldn't possibly let her die.

And besides, it was my chance to get rid of the bastard once and for all.

Though…

What the fuck was this? This… faint restraint… Like I didn't really want to kill him. For a moment, I stood immobile, confused at the faint prick of… What? I didn't know.

Dammit!

I had had enough.

Turning, I lunged towards the fire, hand outstretched for Tetsusaiga, thankful for the moment of bliss, where all I had to think about was merely grabbing the familiar handle and nothing else. Even if it was for just a second… Damn my fucking emotions, especially one that I couldn't even describe.

Behind me, Kagome turned, notching an arrow as she pointed her bow towards a lush evergreen. I could see her shaking from here, almost see herself force stationary fingers to let go. Her gaze flickered towards me, and I smiled.

There was the familiar burst of energy, unfathomable power, and she released her arrow, shutting her eyes tightly and turning away.

Tears.

Within the blinding, flushed glow, I gripped Tetsusaiga and swung it in front of me as it shifted back into its deadly form. Another burst of light and there was a deafening crack as the tree fell, shuddering when it collided into the ground. There was a curse and a burst of green as blur of brown erupted from its tip.

There.

_You're dead, wolf._

Raising my sword over my head, I was surprised at how empty I felt. This was it… I wouldn't be bothered by that shitty nuisance anymore. And yet… There was no triumph in me. Nothing, except the strange feeling again. I cursed. What the fuck.

"Kaze no kizu!"

As I completed the swing, I secretly knew that he would make it, all because of my hesitation. But even so, just maybe… And then, suddenly, a new emotion flooded through my senses, leaving me deaf and dumb in its wake.

Regret. Concern.

Fuck! Why was I so bothered by this?

Through the haze of blue and gray, I was distinctly aware of a dull throb in my head, pounding mercilessly at my skull. There was wind everywhere, stirring through the trees, slicing through stone. Behind me, the fire died, and everything was suddenly cold.

Kagome… where was she? Miroku and Sango, Shippo, Kirara… Dammit, if something happened to them… If something happened to her…

My thoughts were scrambled, mixed together with confusion that only that damn wolf could bring. My grip loosened and Tetsusaiga fell from my fingers. Kikyo flared within my mind, so perfect and untouchable, and then Kagome, with her gentle smile…

And then a tanned face, bright eyes gleaming. A curtain of dark hair, that strange yet intoxicating scent… Of surprisingly soft lips, the annoying smirk. A pink tongue darting out to lap at bright crimson…

Oh shit.

I would have pounded my head had I been able to move. Around me, the blue swirled endlessly, locking away all light. It was like a prison, or was it hell? I felt limp, light, indifferent to the world around me…

Until a hand slammed into my neck, cutting off air, and I was sent flying backwards, the grip never ceasing its deathlike hold. My back was driven onto solid ground, stray stones digging sharply into my back, all thoughts dissipating in my sudden desperation for oxygen.

Looking up, I swallowed, meeting deadened cerulean eyes.

He was smirking at me, though his eyes remained empty and blank. Dark hair had spilled out of its prison, hanging in smooth tresses over his face and torso. There was a small cut on his cheek, the scarlet mingling with black strands. My mind was blank, unconsciously examining his every feature. I suddenly felt breathless again.

Dammit all! Inuyasha, you bastard! Think of Kagome…

"Liking what you see?" he whispered, lacing every syllable with venom, and yet… so dark and low… I swallowed, licking my lips.

Fuck!

My first instinct was to shred him to bits, but my hands had been pinned under his knees. Cursing him, I squirmed, snarling, desperately trying to escape, but he just gazed down at me with that infuriating smirk. One thing was for sure: I sure as hell didn't want a guy straddling me. The wolf, no less! That bastard…

He cut my struggles short by slamming his fist into my stomach. I choked and gasped, eyes wide, pain flickering wildly, and he leaned closer, silky strands brushing my face. Another hand came up and caressed my cheek.

Don't touch me…

"You're dead, mutt."

I cursed, struggling, spiting, snarling, though I knew it was pointless. One punch and it was all over. And damn it all, there he was, taking his fucking sweet time, grinning and licking his lips. I screamed at him, swearing all that I knew, and I could tell he was enjoying this. He was enjoying watching me suffer.

This wasn't Kouga.

A fist was pulled back.

It couldn't be.

Rush of wind. It was over.

I shut my eyes, heart jumping to my throat.

Silence.

The hit never came.

I choked on my breath, waiting, ears strained. Damn the suspense. I couldn't take it. Above me, I could sense the bastard was still there, but he wasn't moving. Wasn't even breathing. Was this supposed to be a joke? Well, fuck, it wasn't funny.

I couldn't wait anymore.

Opening my eyes, I froze. His fist was inches away from my face. And it was shaking.

My gaze traveled up his arm, over ebony hair, past a pale face. I met his eyes and almost cursed at the conflicting emotions within them. They were still dull, blank, but no longer cold, the old hue of perfect blue flickering in them. And then I understood.

He was fighting with himself.

All this, for me.

There was a rustle and a snap of twig, and I turned, ears pricked. Kagome.

She had an arrow notched.

"K-Kouga…" she whispered, voice trembling but firm. "Kouga, don't make me do this."

For a second, I didn't know what he was going to do. The brief shadow of life had faded from his stare. He merely gaped, as if suddenly surprised, confused, and a new anger burst up within me. How dare he look so lost and disconcerted? That bastard had nearly killed Kagome; he had no right to look that way.

Growling, I lunged upwards again, catching him off guard and swiping at his face. There was a crack as bone met bone, and I smirked. Finally. First good shot of the night.

He hissed as his feet found contact with the ground again, a hand reaching up to rub the forming bruise on his face. Before I could snap at him again, or challenge him to another fight, he had disappeared.


End file.
